Philosophy and Its Development in the Nikayas and Abhidhamma

Fumlmaro Watanabe

Philosophy and. its Development In

The Nikayas and Abhidhamma

FUMIMARO WATANABE

MOTILAL BANARSIDASS Delhi 0 Varanasi 0 Patna

First Published In 1983 @MOTILAL BANARSIDASS Head Office: Bungalow Road. Jawabar Nagar, Delhi-? Branches: 1. Chowk. Varanasi-l (U.P.) 2. A.hal< Rajpath, Patna-4 (Bihar)

ISBN: 089581.157 No part of this book nlay be reproduced in any form without the permission of the publisher. Printed in India By Shantilal Jain. at 8hri Jaine1'l.dra Press, A-4S, Phase-I~ Naraina, New Delhi-ll0 028.

Published by Narendra Prakash Jain, for Motilai Banarsidass, Delhi·110007.

TABLE OF CONTENTS vii

FOREWORD

xi

PREFACE

xv

ABBREVIATIONS

PART I I. 2. 3.

The Origin of Abhidhamma Philosophy Introduction On the Polysemy of the Word 'Dhamma' The Conception of Abhidhamma and its Characteristics 4. Abhidhamma and MiitiM 5. The Systematization of Miltikiis

0';' the Tikas and Dukas 5.3 On KhandhiJ.yatanadhiJ.tUj)la, etc. 5.6 On Disputable Topics

5.13

3 9

18

37 46

48 53 65

PART II The Development of the Dialogue Form 6. The Method of Progress of a Dialogue and the Four PafihabyiJ.karaQas 7. Metaphysical Questions and Tetralemmas 8. T akka and'Dhammatakka 9. Forms of Reasoning and Argument 10. Logical Arguments in the Dialogues (Suttas) II. Advanced' Forms of Questions and Answers in the K athavatthu and the

71 88 94 107 127

VijfiiinakiiJ'a

154

12. Conclusion

209

WORK> CITED

212

INDEX

219

FOREWORD Professor Watanabe's main theme in this study is the development of logic, as a method of thinking or reasoning, in the Buddhist tradition. Thediscourses and especially dialogues attributed to the Buddha himself are full of arguments, partly informal and conversational but partly set out in a systematic way embodying logical principles. It should be noted here that, in order to establish whether the texts studied belong to the earliest accessible phase of the Buddhist tradition, Professor Watanabe has throughout collated the Pali recension with the Chinese translations from other recensions. This collation should give us, in the CflSC: of agreement, texts as current before the schisms of the 3rd century B.C. which separated these recensions. In the subsequent period of the growth of the Abhidhamma in the various schools we find a new stage of strictly formalised arguments and debates, recorded especially in the Pitli KatMvatthu and the Chinese translation of the Sabbatthiviida Vijfiiinakiiya. These two texts of the 'Emptiness' Schools of the Theravada group in fact seem to be based on records of the same debates against the 'Person' School which seceded, according to the tradition, in B.C. 286. Professo! Watanabe first seeks the meaning of the term abhidhamma, literally 'about the dhamma', since he rightly supposes that the earliest methods of argument and reasoning led directly into the systematic and formalised expressioll of the texts collected as abhidhamma. His initial conjecture is thus that this method called abhidhamma is itself the early logic of the Buddhists. This conjecture appears to be confirmed by the evidence of the earlier Sutfa texts in which the origins of the method can be traced. But before investigating the meaning of the term abhidhamma it is first necessary to "ci!uify the meaning of the simple term dhamma from which it was formed; thus dhamma, in which Professor Watanabe finds the four meanings 'truth'~

•

viii

)

"doctrine', 'morality' and 'principle', forms the actual starting point of this study. The investigation shows that the dialogue form, or asking questions in order to elicit acceptable answers, is fundaIIl:ental, a thread which runs through Buddhist philosophical analysis from the outset and' through the whole period of the elaboration -of abhidhamma texts.

Before studying the types of argument used in these dialogues

in detail, Professor Watanabe takes note of a different element jn the developme-nt of abhidhamma, namely the t,n4tikas, 'matrices' r lists of topics which provided its conte,nt. He distinguishes two main types of matika: the 'practical' principles of meditation and the 'theoretical' principles which are the constituents of the" 'world' and of 'man'. The former were studied synthetically by bringing together texts from the suttas bearing on the same topics. The latter were studied analytically by making dichotomies (on the basis of the principle of contradiction), trichotomies (of contraries and the neutral position between them) and various other classifications. The extant abhidhamma texts are shown to have been constructed by applying these methods of investigation. After reviewing a selection of the'I somewhat informal methods of argument found in thesuttas, Professor Watanabe in Chapter 11 takes up the strictly formalised debates of the Kalhavatthu and Vijfiiinakiiya. Here a truly 'formal logic' is first found in the Buddhist tradition. The partial agreement of these two texts, of schools which separated during the reign of the Emperor Asoka, appears to confirm the 3rd century B.C. as the period of the origin of a formal logic out of the practice of a formal debate with strict rules of procedure. The most valuable part of Professor Watanabe's study is his full account of the Vijiiiinakqya version of the debates against the 'Person' (Vajjiputtaka or Vatsiputriya) School, which had not so far been adequately analysed and compared with the Kalkavalllm record.

Professor Watanabe arrives at the logically stimulating conclusion that the' Buddha's philosophy is based on the mode of negation, is an avoidance of dogmatism, characterised1,y

ix

)

'completely negative thinking'. This, he argues, is the mode or way which leads to freedom and humanism. It has been a pleasure to work with Professor Watanabe on these problems and we look forward to many more fruits of his negative thinking. February 1982

A. K. Warder

PREFACE It is said that ten years is an epoch. I tacitly understand this as a warning that at least during ten years something remarkable must be done with respect to learning. It is almost a decade ~ince I completed the doctoral courses of the Department of Sanskrit and.Indian Studies at the University of Toronto. In the meantime, I made slow progress in my study on account of my heart valves' operation in July, 1973. For me, fifteen or twenty years may be needed in order to make an epoch in learning. Or no matter how sufficient time is, it might be impossible for me to make it. But I think it is important to spend a lifetime in learning. On reflection, it was Professor, E. Mayeda of Aichi Gakuin University in Nagoya, Japan who first introduced to Japan Professor A. K. Warder's fascinating as well as extremely valuable study of the metres in the Pitli Canon, entitled Pali Mttrt-A Contribution to the History of Indian Literature, and afterward, my uncle, S. Hanayama, Professor Emeritus of Tokyo University informed me that Professor A. K. Warder teaches at the University of Toronto and afforded me the occasion to go abroad for study. Then I became his student there because of my wish to carry on researches under him. It was 1965. I note, in passing~ that in the spring of 1966 Professor E. Mayeda was first invited as a visiting professor from Japan to the University of Toronto by Professor A. K. Warder. I am deeply. grateful to both Professor E. Mayeda and Emeritus Professor S. Hanayama for cultivating the opportunity to meet Professor A. K. Warder. As a graduate student of the University of Toronto, I was much influenced by Professor A. K. Warder's lectures on linguistics, philosophy and literature, especially on selections from the Piili Canon and on Abhidhamma philosophy, since I was very interested in such subject matters when enrolled as a graduate student at Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan. I

(

xii

therefore decided to make a special study of the Nikiiyas and Abhidhamma, and after obtaining the M.A. degree and going on to the Ph.D .. courses of the Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies at the University of Toronto, I worked through the literature on the subjects under him for very long. Here I wish to express my deepest obligations to Professor A. K. Warder for critically reading my thesis and tirelessly making invaluable suggestions. I was also given much useful information and helpful advice in their classes and in informal discussions by my other teachers: Professor T. Venkatacharya of the University of Toronto, Dr. H. Saddhatissa of the British Mahabodhi Society, who was a visiting professor of the University of Toronto at that time, Dr. J. W. Crichton who was then a professor of the Department of Philosophy at the U{liversity of Toronto, Professor H. G. Herzberger of the University of Toronto, Professor. B. K. Matilal of the University of Toronto, Professor J. D. Dhirasekera who is now the Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Buddhism in Colombo, and many other professors. They are versed respectively in Sanskrit, Pali, Modern Logic, Philosophy of Language, Indian Logic, Indian Philosophy, and other various fields of learning. To all of them I acknowledge with thanks my indebtedness.

My cordial thanks are likewise due to my colleague and able instructor ProfessorC. D. C. Priestley of the University ofToronto for giving me his good opinions and helping me improve my English style. Nowadays I realize the weight of the words 'kaf,ydQa mitta', which literally mean 'good friend'. For me, he is sometimes a good adviser and a good teacher, by whom I am always brought up in many ways in my life. When I learn the fact that throughout the whole of Buddhism, to meet a good friend or to have good friends is very important in seeking the truth and in living the best life, I am very glad to have met many good teachers and friends, by whom so far I have been brought up in various respects. It is in fact the 'kind help of my teachers, colleagues, and friends which has enabled me to present my book in its p~esent form.

xiii

)

Finally, I would like to add a word of grateful acknowledgement to my wife for her constant encouragement. I believe that my late parents and the eldest son protect me with blessings of the Triple Gem.

Kinki University Higashi Osaka January 1979

F. Watanabe

ABBREVIATIONS

AA.

AngullaTa nikaya. Angultara Atthakatha

adj.

Pilli) : ManoTathapaTa~i. adjective.

A.

(Commentary, in

D.

Digha nikilya.

DAWB.

Deutschen Akadefnie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin.

Dh. Dhs. Dpvs. esp. GWG.

IRQ. ltv. JPTS. JRAS.

Kv. lit.

M. MA. Miln. Miln. T. Nd(l) Nd(2) orig.

P. Plm. PTS. RA

Dhammapada. Dhammasanga{li. DipavaTflSa. especially Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften in GOttingen . .Indian Historical Quarterly, Calcutta. , [tivuttaka. Journal rif the Pali Text Socie!)!, London. Journal rif the Royal Asiatic Socie!)!, London. Kathavalthu. literally. Majjhima nikaya. Majjhima Atthakathii (Commentary, in Pilli) : Papancasudani. Milindapanha. Milinda-T!kii. Mahiiniddesa. CuJanidtksa. originally. Pilli. Pafisambhidiimagga. Pilli Text Society. Royal Asiatic Society.

(

S. SA. Samanta. SBB. Skt. Sn.

T. Ud. Vhh. Vin. ZDMG.

xvi

Samyutta nik4JIa. Samyutta Allhqkathil (Commentary, in Piili) : Siiratthappakiisini Samantapiisiidikil. Sacred Books of the Buddhists. Sanskrit. Suttanipiita. TiM Taislw Edition of the Chinese Tripitaka (Taisho Shinshu Daizokyo) . Udiina. Vibhanga. Vinaya Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenltlndischen Gesellschaft.

PART I

THE ORIGIN OF ABHIDHAMMA PHILOSOPHY

1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 It was a samafJll (striver) philosopher who claimed to have discovered the Four Truths. He founded his teachings on them. He was, therefore, called the Buddha, which is a title, meaning the 'enlightened'. To his disciples, his teachings were spiritual food. And even today, they are fresh gold in our cultural melting pot. After his enlightenment (531 B.C.),' he preached various doctrines to people of different spiritual and intellectual capacities, just as a doctor gives each patient a different type of medicine according to the nature of the illness. This is the manifestation of his pai/iii1 (understanding) and his karuQt'l (compassion). This fact can also be realized from his last discourse in the MahdparinihhiInasutta, which is the work descril>ing the scene before and after his final extinction (parinilibiIna) ;' Monks, the dhammas (doctrines' ) which I have discovered and taught should be well learned by you, and practised, 1. We provisionally adopt 566 B.C. as a date for the birth. 537 B.C. for the renunciation, 531 B.C. fat the enlightenment and 486 B.C. fot the Bnal extinction of the Buddba. because there is a certain doubt CollCeming the life oE the Buddha. On tbis, sec A. K. Warder, ltulian Buddhi.tm t'llt edttion), p. 44. 2. D.lI, 1I9-20. This is available to us in several reccllIions. Refer to T. I, 110-30 b, 1601>-175 c, 176 a-191 a, 191 1>-207 c, T. 24,127 b-129b and tho Skt. t... publi.hed by E. Waldachmidt in 1939, 1950 and 1951. 9. One of the mea.nings of the word dhamma, 4doctdne· Or ftea disciples after his parinibbiina, and in the COUTSe of time compiled into the Abhidhamma texts. "'The tniktClimportant of these is the Kathiivatthu (Ground for Discussion). It consists of twenty-three chapters, and is a collection of 219 controversies and refutations of the views maintained by other schools of Buddhism (supposedly compiled in the 3rd century B. C. but undoubtedly added to after that da te' ). On the other hand, the Vijndnakdya (Body of consciousness) which C!,h he 'regarded as similar to the K~thauatthu contains,six c,hap'torS.The first chapter records Maudgalyayana's opinion, h. "'.' ",bout pudgala (perSon), tndTryi'S (faculties ),.,;lIas (thoughts), 1

lo,

f.:V. "",~,i,,'

.) ,-":i

t. On. this see Th. Stcherbatiky,

:¢".-tl:lh"

,-\~;.\,:Wtr.

The Central ConcefJtWn of Buddhism and lilt .\f(iJning 4 the Word '~Dhanna", pp. 95.. lO7. 'l)-r~ ....'d,2. M. ·h· .292.8. -T~ 1,- 790 b-792 b,' in which- Mah;;\kouhit8' answers SiripuUa's qUest101U. ~,,' 3. D, 1,178-203, T. 1. 109